Meanwhile, there will be battles. Lucchino will want to go to Japan, Epstein won't. There could be a split at the top on Lowell and ... (gulp) A-Rod. One thing we know they agree on is Schilling: thanks for the clutch work, big fella, now don't let the door hit you on the way out. We'll invite you back for Old-Timers' Day.

This will piss off CHB, who has written and said repeatedly that Theo and Lucchino hate Schilling and can't wait until he leaves. If Curt signs, CHB will have to invent some story about Terry or Henry jumping in and making it happen.

Gehrig38:

But wait, I can't be coming back. CHB, Shaugnostradamus is the IN guy, he knows for a fact that the Sox are saying "Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out". He's 100% guaranteed in the know right? He KNOWS they hate me...

Wait, no he doesn't.

Things are winding down, details being taken care of. When something is final I'll blog it to let anyone that cares know.

26 comments:

They shouldn't expect wonders from him, but he provides pitching depth at a reasonable price -- I mean, good for Gil Meche for having a good year, but it's only Meche money he's getting. And he's money in the postseason, where we very much hope (I won't say "expect", too Yankesque) to be.

So what if he spends a quarter to a third of the season on the DL because he's old? We can afford to put him there as a precaution like they did this year. We can afford that monetarily and in terms of our starting pitching.

Refer to him as a #3 or a #4 or whatever number you want. He's worth it. And CHB can eat shit.

If he won 10 with a 4.25, no problem. If he won 12 games with a 4 ERA, it'd be well worth it. And...he always might do more.

Remember a couple a days ago I mentioned I was watching the globe 10.0 and said almost the same things about CHB. You could feel the bile coming from him. Needless to say it is not just CHB though, look at almost all of the other Globe reporters (ryan, Carfardo etc) and you get the sense they can't stand the guy. I am surprised though that it is so incentive laden (I've heard 8 with 5). Would be interesting to see the incentives.

Glad to hear Schilling will most likely be finishing his career in Boston, if nothing else then for sentimental reasons. Plus I really think he's going to have a good final year...like another Maddux. -Jan

I think Terry would put Shill in at #2 to start, but I wonder where he'll belong? He showed up to spring training last year out of shape, and over weight. I'm hoping with this being his 'final' season, that he gives it his all, (off season and otherwise)

But I also have a gut feeling that Jon Lester may have a break out season.

Another poster points out that since his leak that caused Theo to leave his job for awhile, all of his Red Sox connections have dried up. His columns for the past few seasons have been nothing more than boring rehashes of all the things we see/hear/read elsewhere -- along with his own hatred of the Red Sox and their winning ways and shit-stirring with select players.

With that type of weak ammo, he has sunk to the level of one of the stereotyped basement-dwelling, ranting bloggers he loves to make fun of.

If you read the post at 38 pitches you will see that Schilling inserted that clause. All of these appear to be reachable (except for IP's since we have no breakdown). Good job by Theo and lets get our other two FA's, Mike and A-rod!!!!

Also, he can get even one Cy Young vote, he gets a million bucks? You'd think that would open up some conflict-of-interest issues!

Extra Bases mini-interview with Theo says that the weigh-ins would be very difficult for him the make. Are we going to get an update every time whether or not he made his $300k? Kind of weird, but I guess it's one way of guaranteeing he's in shape. But as Curt says, I don't know that weight and being in shape correlate exactly.

Thing I dislike about Lowell at 3B and A-Rod at short, besides A-Rod himself, is that not only does A-Rod cost an unprecedented amount of money for too many years, but we would also have to pay at least some of Lugo's salary to get another team to take him. Between the Lugo factor and the luxury tax, A-Rod costs are untenable in combination with a Lowell re-signing.

It could work with signing A-Rod instead of Lowell. Just barely, maybe -- if we were desperate to have him. We shouldn't be.

NOTE: Schilling's inning pitched clause starts at 130 innings and goes in 10-inning increments up to 200 innings. He makes $375,000 per increment.

Also, Schilling weigh-ins will be very difficult to make. He would have to really be in outstanding shape to make all six weigh-ins and earn the $2 million extra according to a source familiar with the contract.

Also, it's been a long time since A-Rod played short, and he is much older. No question his talent was wasted initially at 3b, but not anymore. Plus the 40 mill per year and clubhouse cancer = i do not want a-rod

Pretty exciting news.I really didn't expect it to happen. I also don't expect the FO to pay any attention to what I expect :)The 38P's blog is a great piece. I've watched that all year. So unusual, and very cool, to have a player "just chat" with the fans like that. Nice insight.I think he'll probably end up in the 3 spot, although Tito might start him at 2 on "seniority". Doubt it, tho, probably 3.I imagine that if spring goes as expected, Buchholz/Lester will be 4. I wonder if one of them might be gone, with Wake 5. Or keep both and move Wake to the pen. I always felt a knucleballer is a great weapon in the pen, but Wake was more than adequate as a starter this year. Then there's that talk of a 6-man rotation.Sheez!!! How long until Pitchers/Catchers ??I may not make it.